The Hunter said:
I was actually having a discussion with my friend because I got some money from working and was considering purchasing my first firearm (the ones I have are passed down, which is totally legal in Texas). What sucks is that I can only buy long guns because I'm 18. I have to wait 4 more years to buy a handgun. Although I can buy one if my dad permits it. So anyways, I was thinking if my dad didn't mind me paying for a handgun, I should get a shiny new S&W model 60, as I'm becoming a fan of .38 revolvers as well as snub nose revolvers. I also want to find the closest range and a place that will sell .38 ammo to someone my age so I can finally shoot off a few rounds, as it's been faaaaaaaaaaaaar too long since I've done so. I'd still have to wait until I'm 21 to get a concealed carry license. :/ So I can either save up for one of those, or save even more money and buy myself that 500 I wanted so badly my whole life.
A pal of mine has the S&W revolver bug, and has a few 1965 low-serial-number gems in his safe. Unfortunately, we never get to shoot them, but they're said to be pretty nice shooters if properly maintained. Personally, I'm more of a Ruger person, if only because a Ruger SP-101 was the first decent AMERICAN gun I could afford when I moved to the US - it's one of the few things I'm sentimental about. Still, my personal protection pistol is an S&W M&P9 with night sights and a Crimson Trace laser. I might get the M&P Shield if they ever pass CCW laws, or I move to a more accommodating state. S&W is quite fine by me (even their Sigmas, if I get to inspect it first).
Unfortunately, now is a very rough time to start building your collection. In light of many efforts of elected and appointed officials to undermine the Second Amendment, prices for firearms, supplies, and ammo have skyrocketed. It's a seller's market, right now. Any of the AR-15s I assembled for about $900 ~ $1000 (mixed lowers, BCM or Rainier uppers) in 2008, could sell for about $1300 ~ $1600 depending on if I want to sell local or nationwide. Most of my AK-pattern guns - once inexpensive workhorses - have nearly doubled in retail price. I'll never sell any of them, but just goes to show how crazy prices have spiked. Hopefully, in a few more years, this hysteria will settle down along with prices.